Acquisition Programme: information

Applications for grant funding

Local authorities and registered social landlords are expected to agree a local approach with their grant provider to provide a streamlined authorising environment which, where possible, puts in place an agreed budget and expected number of purchases of existing properties. This should reflect the types and valuations of properties being targeted for purchase as well as likely required investment to ensure quality standards are met.

Whilst not all properties will be considered suitable for purchase, the above approach ensures that local authorities and registered social landlords can move quickly when suitable properties are made available. Any local authority or registered social landlords which is considering acquisitions for the first time should contact their relevant local grant provider and local authority to discuss how their planned activity might be accommodated and what resources are available. Those where agreements are already in place should continue to review whether there is further capacity to deliver more acquisitions and raise this as part of regular established programme discussions. 

We would expect unplanned new build, ‘off the shelf’ opportunities to be discussed with the local authority and local grant provider and for subsidy requirements to be assessed in a similar way to general new build activity.